When she couldn't fall asleep, Barnes went into the ocean at 4
a.m. Friday morning to collect coral samples. Once in the water,
she began to experience cramps and the tide swept her out into
the middle of the ocean.

According to NBC, even though Barnes was "exhausted, sunburned
and suffering from dehydration and jellyfish stings" she began to
swim towards land.

Eight hours after Barnes went missing, the program notified her
mother, Jennifer Dukelow, that she was missing. NBC reports
that Dukelow quickly sprung her New Jersey community into
action, reaching out to anyone that could possibly help.

Eventually, Dukelow told NBC, Senator Marco Rubio and
Representative Vern Buchanan were pressuring the
Honduran government to do all they could to find Barnes.

However, Barnes made the trip back to land on her own. After 16
hours in the water, "I made it to Lion's Head on our island and
collapsed on the shore ... Two locals carried me and gave me
water. They kayaked me back to the resort where people poured
from every building and hugged and kissed me," Barnes told NBC.

Barnes is currently back in the United States, healing from a
severe sunburn and some jellyfish stings. She told NBC that she
is "ready to take a break from the beach for awhile."